Women in the African region face a daunting range of threats to their health throughout their lives: respiratory infections, perinatal conditions, diarrhoeal diseases, malaria childhood-cluster diseases, nutritional deficiencies, meningitis, HIV/AIDS, other STDs, maternal conditions, cardiovascular diseases, malignant neoplasms, tropical-cluster diseases, neuropsychiatric conditions, genitourinary diseases, diabetes mellitus, endocrine disorders and more.
It is therefore crucial that we protect and promote the health of women on the continent – with a focus on quality, affordability, and equity – for the wellbeing and development of both current and future generations. Additionally, significant socioeconomic benefits can be derived from improving women’s healthcare in Africa. Representing over 50% of a continent’s human resources, women’s health in Africa also has major implications on the overall development of Africa.